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Thursday, 3 September 2009

So many books, so little time...

Here, leaving my favourite books aside for one moment, I wanted to blog about the books that everyone says they've read, but hardly anyone has...

A la recherche du temps perdu, by Proust. I've followed in Proust's footsteps. I've dipped a Madeleine cake in a cup of tea, and I've stayed in an apartment in les Roches Noirs in Trouville, a hotel which Proust stayed in during his holidays in Normandy, and which Monet painted beautifully. But I haven't read his novel, neither in French nor in English. But I tried. Once!

War & Peace

That's two. Are there any you can add to the list, mes bloggy mischief-makers?!

Back to my reading list, I loved The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger (2003), even though it took me two goes to read it. And I wonder how they will succeed with the film of the novel, and I'll bet it fails to do justice to it, as most movies do...

I think I'd like to read "The Time Traveler's Wife". I generally enjoy the book more than the movie. I think I create a movie in my head as I read.... and speaking of movies, I saw "Julie & Julia" on Sunday afternoon and thoroughly enjoyed Meryl Streep's portrayal of Julia Child. It turns out the girl, Julie, is from Texas & her part of the story was a hoot! Maybe you have to live in Texas to enjoy her part so much!

You're right. I haven't read either of the others. I did read The time Traveler's Wife. I liked the movie. I thought the treatment of certain aspects were handled well. ( I don't want to give anything away. ) Go see it.

The only movie I liked better than the book was Cold Mountain. Hated the book. Loved the movie.

I didn't read War and peace but I did read Cancer Ward which was hard going . Not sure about Time Travellers Wife. May pick it up at some point. I read on the bus to and from work - an hours journey - so get through quite a few books.

Ms. Fhina, Ah Proust...so difficult...so important...but not more so than The Woman...we always have ambitions but then you already are complete in so many other ways. May you have a lovely day...did you write about your vacation? <3

There are so many books we 'ought' to read but some require such a greater depth of understanding and/or breadth of experience before we could appreciate them. Perhaps we should be more willing to repay the amount of effort expended by the authors!

Oooo - I've got the Time Traveller's Wife to read. I wanted to read it before the film came out, but that's a very high hope! I shall come back to compare notes when I ever do finish (actually start) it!

I've also got A Picture of Dorian Gray (by Oscar Wilde) to read as there is a film of that coming out too.

I suppose it's a bit sacriligious to the pure book type to be thinking about the film version, but I found that I enjoyed watching Atonement so much when I'd read the book first, I understood the plot I saw, the extra plot which wasn't included and I could say clever things about whether it was true to the book or not.

Good luck with it. Just remember that not every book suits everyone, it's like perfume smells different on everybody, some books will fit and some won't but if we force it we won't enjoy reading.

I've put a Graham Greene book back on the shelf - he's not for me and I don't care.

Stay with me baby!

All about Fhina:

This side of fifty, I'm a mother, wife, orphan, friend, psychotherapist and counsellor in that order... My son, Grizz, is 21 and left the nest last year. My hubby, GJ, is fifty-one going on fiveteen!
I am a rat-wrangler in training, as mad as a ship's cat and one of life's random ramblers...
Join me, there's never a dull moment. I'm Fhina, by the way!